Masonry Blog Boxed

MANTRA SĀDHANĀ

The Mantra itself is Devatā, that is, the Supreme Consciousness (Cit-śakti) manifesting in that form. śṛṇu devi pravakṣāmi bījānām deva-rūpatām | mantroccārṇ amatrena deva-rūpam prajāyatte || Bṛhad-gandharva-Tantra (Ch. V) The Mantra is awakened from its sleep (Mantra-caitanya) through the Sādhana Śakti of the mantrin. It is at base one and the same Śakti which appears as Sādhana-Śakti and Mantra-śakti, the latter however being the more powerful manifestation. The consciousness of the Sādhaka becomes en rapport and in union with the Consciousness in the form of the Mantra; and the Devatā who is the Artha of the Mantra appears to the…

Prayer At The Feet Of Srī Srī Kālīkā

PRAYER AT THE FEET OF SRI SRI KĀLIKĀ May the Maha-Devi who is called Kalika, Because She is without beginning or end, Whose Body is imagined to be blue of colour, Because like the blue sky She pervades the World, And because She is Cidghana Sattvagunamayi. Who is imagined to be black Because She is colourless and above the coloured Gunas, Whose hair is dishevelled (Muktakesi) Because though Herself changeless She binds infinite numbers of Jivas by bonds of Maya, symbolized by Her dishevelled hair and because She makes liberated (Mukta) Braha, Visnu and Mahesvara who are Kesa. Who is…

APARAJITASTUTI – Hymn to the Invincible Devi

The Chandipath is divided into three sections - charitras - each being equivalent to one of the three Veda-s: Rig, Sama, Yajur. The 3rd Charitra is the domain of Maharasraswati, and has given rise to some of the greatest theological and metaphorical interpretations of Shakta doctrine. The Bija of this section is Klim, which is representative of the Ananda aspect of Saccidananda. That of course takes nothing away from the battle stories, where we find some of the most terrifying forms of Devi appearing. Because maybe, constant Ananda is the toughest of all things to attain and needs the intervention…

THE SLAYING OF MAHISASURA (a liberal translation from the original text)

As he saw the army being slaughtered, Ciksura, the great asura general went ahead in tremendous fury to battle Ambika. He rained showers of arrow on the Devi just as clouds shower the summit of Mount Meru. But easily shattering those volley of arrows, the Devi, in turn, killed Ciksura's horses and charioteer. Like lightning She slashed through his flag and bow, cutting them in half, and wounded the asura general using swiftly dispatched arrows. With his bow broken, chariot wrecked, horses and charioteer slain the asura now picked up his sword and shield and rushing at the Devi, struck…

Devi Stuti: Symbolism of Madhu and Kaitabh

One of the most beautiful sections of the #Caṇḍī Pāṭha is the stuti to the Devi done by Brahma, so that Vishnu can fight with the Asura-pair named Madhu and Kaitabha. The names Madhu and Kaitabh most easily remind us of madhu - honey, and a play on the word kITa - insect, a honey-bee. These insects of the genus Apis are known in commonly for their remarkable single-pointedness in gathering honey and work as a perfect symbol of all such people who are satisfied in their trapping of daily life, going over the mundane routine day in and day…

Importance of Pitr Karma

Every year during the second fortnight of the lunar month of Bhardrapada, right after the Ganesha puja, a period of 14 days is set aside for offering reverence to ancestors, known as pitrpaksha. During this time, many traditional Hindus perform pitr tarpana, pitr shraddha, and pinda danaeither at home, or preferably near river banks, wherein one pays homage to ones departed ancestors. The word shraaddha (श्राद्ध) indicates that the act is to be performed with sincere faith shraddhā (श्रद्धा). There is of course another lesser known pitrpaksha in the first half of the year, but it is the one during Bhadrapada, which is considered more significant. Pitr Yajna…

Jvaradeva

One of the lesser known gods in the Saiva pantheon is called Jvaradeva - god of fever. He is depicted as three-armed, three-legged and when he would attack an individual their body temperature would increase to uncomfortable levels. Later on jvara deva was paired with Sitala or goddess of smallpox. The story of his origin goes this way that when the terrifying lord Rudra was engaged in great Tapas, Jvara was created from a drop of his sweat and then became a part of the Saiva demigods. In the Vedic hymns to Rudra he is often regarded as the greatest…

ADHIKARA: Spiritual Competency

Men vary in capacity, temperament, knowledge and general advancement, and therefore the means (for Sadhana also means instrument) by which they are to be led to enlightenment must vary. Methods which are suitable for highly advanced men will fail as regards the ignorant and undeveloped for they cannot understand them. What suits the latter has been long out-passed by the former. At least that is the Hindu view. It is called Adhikara or competency. Thus some few men are competent (Adhikari) to study Vedanta and to follow high mental rituals and Yoga processes. Others are not. Some are grown-up children…

Krshna Subdues Kaliya

The episode in the Bhagwatam where Sri Krshna subdues Kaliya is of tremendous spiritual importance in the sadhana of Vaishnavism. While there is a historical significance to the stories, for a sadhaka the spiritual metaphors in each of these stories are of greater importance in the fullfilment of sadhana. Yamuna is the river of Bhakti or Chandra-nadi inside the human mind-body. Bhakti works best when it remains unpolluted by selfishness or a desire for gain. Even the slightest amount of personal desire corrupts the effect of Bhakti and produces no result. In its highest form devotion to the Supreme should…